Thank you so much for reading and reviewing the last chapter!

Hope you enjoy this one. I'll just give you a heads up, there is going to be death. And then some more death. Some crying. And then some death. So, enjoy;-))


Saving Grace

Chapter Fifty-Three: The End

Lawrence, Kansas Stull Cemetery 12:00 PM.

The day had finally arrived, and, if he were being honest, Lucifer wasn't sure how he felt about it. After so many millenniums spent in wait, after all the anticipation, the planning, the preparation, it had come. What had once seemed too long away to comprehend, what had seemed so far ahead into the future it didn't warrant thinking about, had come, faster than he would have liked it to.

The graveyard was silent as he entered, and the old, rusted gates creaked in the wind as he passed them. The sky above was clouded and grey in colour, dismal. A single crow flew above him, and the sound it made carried throughout the field and seemed to echo around him. The grass beneath his feet was overgrown, and it grew over the many stones and crosses littered the space ahead. The wind ripped at the long, brown hair of his vessel, yet he felt no chill. And he no longer felt her presence.

Whatever plan she'd had when she had decided to say yes, he could only assume that she had long since given up on it. No longer did she fight for control, no longer could he feel her scratching away, trying to break out of his hold. She was silent.

Cautious, he crossed the field towards the destined spot, not particularly content in what was happening. He had to wonder, how had it all come to this? How had it all been destined to end in a fight to the death with his own brother? His own family? Even to him, something about it all still seemed so wrong, no matter how hard he tried to comprehend the reasoning behind it. All that time he had spent locked away in the cage, trapped in his own hell, he had often found himself wondering if the big plan was all that it had been made out to be.

Michael stood in wait, facing away. A soft sigh escaped Lucifer as he approached, and his elder brother turned to him. The look on his face was one of pure determination. He supposed he should have expected nothing less from him.

Lucifer gave a curt nod in way of acknowledgement. "It's good to see you, Michael." he greeted, and he meant it. He truly did.

Michael returned the nod, with no more enthusiasm. "You, too." he agreed. "It's been too long." He looked out over the graveyard around them, and he gave a content sigh. "Can you believe it's finally here?"

"No," Lucifer offered a slow shake of his head, because, honestly, he couldn't. "Not really."

Michael glanced back towards him, and his brow furrowed. "Are you ready?"

Lucifer seemed reluctant in his response, but, he nodded. "As I'll ever be." he admitted. "A part of me wishes we didn't have to do this."

"Yeah," Michael agreed, solemn, and his eyes shifted from his gaze. "Me, too."

The comment surprised Lucifer, and he looked up to him. Maybe this was his chance. "Then, why are we?" he urged.

"Oh, you know why." he scolded. "I have no choice, after what you did—"

"What I did?" He shook his head. "What if it's not my fault?"

Michael frowned. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Think about it," Lucifer urged. "Dad made everything. Which means he made me who I am. God wanted the Devil."

But Michael didn't appear concerned. "So?"

"So, why?" he pressed. "Why make us fight. I just can't figure out the point."

"What's your point?" he asked, curious.

"We are going to kill each other. And, for what? One of Dad's tests? And we don't even know the answer." He shook his head, despondent. "We're brothers. Let's just walk off the chessboard."

Michael shook his head. "I'm sorry." he stated. "I can't do that. I'm a good son, and I have my orders."

"But you don't have to follow them." Lucifer pleaded.

"What, you think I'm gonna rebel? Now?" He shook his head. "I'm not like you."

Lucifer sighed, despondent. "Michael, please—"

"You know, you haven't changed a bit, little brother." he chided. "Always blaming everybody but yourself. We were together, we were happy. But you betrayed me, you betrayed all of us, and you made our father leave."

"No one makes Dad do anything." he retorted. "He is doing this to us."

"You're a monster, Lucifer." he told him, blunt. "And I have to kill you."

Lucifer sighed, and he knew that there was no use fighting it anymore. "If that's the way it's got to be," His face darkened. "Then I'd like to see you try."

Michael's eyes narrowed, as if in challenge, and he gave a slow nod. "Let's do this."

Slowly, calculating, Michael and Lucifer circled one another, and they knew right there that it was going to be a fight until one of them lost their life. It was going to be bloody, it was going to be painful, and, yet, that was the will of heaven. One of them was about to kill their own brother, and something about it all still seemed so wrong to the younger sibling.


Lawrence, Kansas Stull Cemetery Impala

Sam and Dean Winchester sat in wait.

Dean's hands were gripped to the wheel of the Impala, hard enough that his knuckles had turned white, and he tried in vein to think of a way around what they were about to do. If he were being honest, he didn't see a way that they could simply walk in there and save their sister, he didn't see a way that they could all walk away still breathing, and maybe it had been naive of him to think otherwise. But, on the other side of those old, rusted gates, falling apart where they hung, stood his sister. Or, rather, what had once been his sister. And she stood there alone. He wouldn't allow that.

Sam shifted the slightest bit, uncomfortable, and he looked towards his brother for some kind of direction. There was a concentrated frown fixed deep within his features, and he just knew that the dark thoughts running through his mind matched the ones swarming his own head. Neither of them knew how to save their sister from the evil that had taken her, they didn't know how to help her, or what they could do to stop the inevitable from happening. But they had to try. That much they did know.

"Dean." Sam pressed, wary. "We gotta move, man."

Dean tore his gaze away from where it had been fixed upon the gates of the graveyard ahead, and he offered a weak smile. "Yeah, I know." he agreed.

The truth was, Dean wasn't ready to face her. Not the way she was now. He wasn't sure he could take watching her die again, because the first time it had almost killed him. Things had changed since that night. He wasn't the teenager outside of the motel room in the rain anymore, and his brother wasn't the young boy that had been sitting terrified inside it. They both knew the true horror of living without Haley, and it was a place that neither of them ever wanted to return to. He couldn't. Because, Dean knew, he couldn't make it through that level of grief again. He wasn't strong enough.

But Dean shook those thoughts from his mind. It wasn't over yet. Maybe there was still a chance. Maybe there was still a way that he could save her, that he could save them all. Perhaps there was something he could do to stop it. Because he refused to back down and allow his family to die before his eyes again. Not if he could help it. They had been through enough for one lifetime, more than enough, and, this time, it was too much.

His sister was standing alone in the fight against the apocalypse, and that didn't sit right with him. Not one bit.

"Are you ready?" Dean asked, hesitant, and he glanced towards his brother as he did.

Sam shook his head, because, admittedly, he wasn't. He wasn't prepared for anything they might see once they passed those gates. But, of course, he wouldn't say that out loud, and so he nodded. "As I'll ever be." he muttered, despondent.

Dean turned the key in the ignition, and the engine of the Impala roared to life. He turned up the music playing through the speakers — Def Leppard's Rock Of Ages and he threw his brother a smirk.

"Let's go screw up an apocalypse." he remarked.

Dean drove slowly, and the sight before him was not one that he had been prepared for. There on the field, facing each other, were Haley and Adam. Or, rather, Michael and Lucifer. The sound of the music blaring from his speakers seemed to draw their attention away from each other, and they turned in the direction of the car, confused, accusing. The Impala cruised to a gentle stop before them, and, for a moment, all the four of them could do was stare at each other.

The girl who stood before the car was not someone that either brother recognized anymore. Her face was cold, stony, and she looked downright pissed to see them there, the same as Michael did. Her eyes were hard, dead, void of life, nothing like the bright green eyes glimmering with hope and humor that they had come so accustomed to. Gone was the kindness in her features, replaced with the essence of cruelty. There was a harsh frown at her brow, one that promised nothing but sorrow, and the true evil that had taken over her was reflected in her features.

Immediately, they both knew that, whatever would happen next, it wouldn't end well. For anyone.

Dean was the first of them to move, and he threw open his door, confident as ever. He leaned forwards against the top of his open door, and a smirk crossed his face, smug. "Howdy." he greeted, and he raised his eyebrows as he glanced between them. "Sorry, are we interrupting something?"

The look on Lucifer's face matched that of Michael's, and, in that moment, he couldn't decide which of them looked more furious. He snickered, and he reached down to turn off the engine. The music cut off, and a silence fell over the graveyard once again. The only sound left was that of the wind as it rushed through the air and rustled the few trees in the distance.

Sam followed his brother's lead, and he climbed from the Impala. They slammed their doors closed simultaneously, and they looked on at the two siblings whom they had lost to heaven.

"Sam." Her eyes narrowed, and she took a short step towards them, curious. Her tone was low, cold, and they knew it wasn't their sister speaking to them anymore. "I didn't expect to see you here. This should be you. But, you know that, don't you."

Sam's stance didn't falter. "Then let me say yes." he pushed, and the desperation came through in his words. "It's not too late."

Dean looked to him, eyes wide, because they sure as hell hadn't discussed that idea on the drive there. Despite everything, he found himself not arguing, and he remained silent.

Lucifer seemed to consider the idea for a moment, and a smile crossed the face of their sister. "You were my true vessel, Sam. Your sister is screaming at you right now, you know. She doesn't want you to say yes. She doesn't want me to possess you. She's fighting it." A dramatic sigh escaped her. "And, she has been good to me. She let me in when you wouldn't. She wanted this, you didn't."

"My sister didn't want this." he snapped, automatic. "Let her go, or I swear to god—"

"Remember who it is you're threatening, Sam." Lucifer stopped him, blunt. "It will kill her, you know. My presence has... weakened her. Significantly. She isn't the intended vessel, she wasn't made for this. You were."

"Just, do it, alright?" he urged. "The answer is yes, Lucifer."

"We've rewritten heaven's rules here, Sam." Lucifer reached out and gestured to the scene around them, and green eyes took in the sight slowly. A small smile graced her face. "This way, it's not the way my father said it would be, he said that we couldn't do it without the two of you, and, yet, here we are. This is the way it's going to be, Sam. I'm sorry, but you are no longer the chosen one."

Sam made a move towards her, but Dean had a firm hold of the back of his jacket. He stopped him where he stood, and, with a cruel smile, Lucifer turned away from them.

For a moment, everything seemed to stand completely still. Dean had to wonder if their sister was still in there to save. Maybe Castiel had been right all along, maybe the only person they were speaking to now was the devil. Could she even hear them? Did she know what was happening? Could see see it all unfolding before her? He saw nothing of his little sister in the green eyes that challenged his brother so easily, and, he knew, she was gone.

But he wasn't about to give up so easily, not where she was concerned. He had to believe that she was still inside there somewhere, that he could still help her, that he could make it better for her, because she sure as hell deserved better than that. He needed to do something, or how could he live with himself?

"Look," He took a short step towards her. "We need to talk."

His only response was a slow shake of her head. "Dean," she pondered. "Even for you, this is a whole new mountain of stupid."

The words sounded so cold coming from his sister's mouth, and, honestly, her tone threw him. He had never heard her sound like that before. He wasn't sure he could have recognized the voice had he not seen who it had come from.

"I'm not talking to you." he persisted, determined. "I'm talking to Haley."

"You are no longer the vessel, Dean." Michael scolded. "Neither of you are. You got no right to be here!"

Dean turned to him, sorrowful, and the guilt twisted in his stomach. "Adam, if you're in there somewhere, I am so sorry." he said, genuine, apologetic.

But a cruel smile tugged at his lips. "Adam isn't home right now." he mocked.

"Well, then you're next on my list, buttercup." he remarked. "But, right now, I need five minutes with her."

Michael stepped towards him, threatening. "You little maggot." he seethed. "You are no longer a part of this story!"

"Hey!" A voice came from behind them, and they all turned. "Ass-butt!"

Castiel had appeared, and there was a bottle in his hand, flaming. Bobby stood beside him, and he looked ready to fight. Without hesitation, Castiel lunged the bottle towards Michael, and it hit him square in the chest. The glass shattered with the impact, and his entire body was consumed in flames. He screamed out in pain, and a high pitched ringing echoed throughout the field, deafening. The flames took over, and his body dissipated into nothing. The silence that followed was nothing but eerie.

Dean quirked a brow at the angel, more than confused. "Ass-butt?" he repeated, incredulous. And, if they hadn't been in their current situation, he probably would have laughed.

Castiel offered a shrug, somewhat breathless. "He'll be back. And upset. But you got your five minutes."

Sam and Dean shared a look between themselves, alarmed. But neither had the chance to speak. Lucifer turned towards the angel, and there was a look in the green eyes that glared right at him that promised nothing but vengeance. The fury seemed to radiate from her, and they could all feel it.

"Castiel." she seethed. "Did you just Molotov my brother with holy fire?"

"Uh," Castiel took a short step back, wary, and he held up his hands in defense. "No."

The anger flared in her face, and the dread showed in the eyes of the angel who stood before him. "No one dicks with Michael, but me."

With a simple snap of their sister's fingers, nails still chipped with the polish Dean had see her use the night she had left, Castiel exploded into a rain of blood and chunks of flesh. The splattering on the grass seemed so loud, sickening, and it was a cruel reminder to them all of the sheer power that possessed her.

Bobby's eyes were wide, and he looked on at the brothers as if asking for some kind of plan. But, if they were being honest, neither had one. They never had done. Maybe their idea to wing it had been a bad move on their part, because everything seemed to be spiraling out of their control, and one of them was going to have to step in and stop it. Dean wasn't about to allow his brother to be the one to do that.

With a shaky breath, he managed to face her once again. "Haley?" he pressed, cautious. "Can you hear me, sis?"

Lucifer turned to him, and she took a sharp breath, furious. "You know, I've tried to be nice, for Haley's sake." She took a short step forwards and grabbed a firm hold of his leather jacket. "But you are such a pain in my ass."

Lucifer threw him back against the window of the Impala, and it shattered beneath his weight. A pain shot through his body, and, for a moment, he was too stunned to move. But Lucifer wasn't slowing down. Sam made a move towards them, not even sure what he thought he could do to help, but Lucifer was faster. With an unseen force, the youngest Winchester was thrown far across the field without so much as a touch, and he landed on the grass with a thud. Her attention returned to the elder brother, and she approached, calculating.

The sound of a shotgun rang through the air, and Dean saw the bullet pierce through the back of his sister's shoulder. Her face became dangerous, and she turned to the source. Bobby shot the gun in his hand once again, and this time the bullet pierced her chest. Crimson blood escaped the wound, and it stained the front of her shirt. Dean shot him a look, eyes wide, and all Bobby could offer in return was a shrug, as though to say he hadn't known what else to do.

Lucifer raised her hand, and, with a simple twist of the wrist, Bobby's neck snapped. The sound rang through the graveyard, sickeningly clear, and he crumpled to the ground, dead.

Dean's jaw dropped, and his eyes were wide in alarm. He didn't have the chance to process a clear thought, because Lucifer wasn't backing down. A strong hand gripped his ankle, and he was dragged from the hood of the car. A fist collided with his face, and the force was enough to knock Dean back against the vehicle behind him. He leaned over the hood, stunned, blood poured from his mouth, and it pooled in the palm of his hand.

Right there, in that moment, as he watched the blood pour from his own face, Dean knew that he was going to die in that graveyard. He was going to meet his end at the hands of his own sister, controlled by something far beyond anything any of them could even hope to beat. A part of him hoped to god that she wasn't in there anymore, because he couldn't imagine the hell of watching the devil control his actions with no power to stop him. Yet, the smarter part of him knew better. That was how he knew, he couldn't leave her there alone. He couldn't turn his back on her. He couldn't leave her to fight him by herself. Even if staying there brought him to the end of his life, he couldn't abandon her. Not now, not ever.

Slowly, he turned back to face her, and he tried to believe that she could see him. "Haley?" he pressed, and his voice wavered. "Hales? Are you in there, kiddo?"

A cruel smirk twisted at the corner of her lips. "Oh, she's in here alright." Another punch collided with his face, remorseless. "And she's gonna feel the snap of your bones." The next punch that came knocked him flat to the ground, and he lay there, facing the grass. "Every single one." She hauled him up and forced him to stand. "We're gonna take our time."

Her fist, once again, collided with his face, and Dean slumped down against the car, dazed. This was it. Lucifer was going to beat him to his death through the hands of Haley, and he wasn't sure which of them he felt worse for.

Amidst everything that was happening, through punch after punch, after every sickening blow, Dean caught a sight of his brother. He approached slowly, silent, and there was an angel blade gripped in his hand, no doubt left by Castiel's exploded form. It was raised and ready to attack. He forced his attention back to their sister, and he did everything he could to hold her gaze to his. But it was no use. How had they ever thought that they could outsmart the devil? Sam was merely inches away when Lucifer seemed to feel the presence, another moment and it would all have been over. But Lucifer turned sharply. And Sam was busted where he stood.

Sam's stance, however, never faltered, and his eyes narrowed the slightest bit as if to challenge her. There was no fear, only anger and a desire for justice. The blade gripped in his had raised once more, and Sam brought it down towards her, but he didn't make it. Her left hand grabbed a firm hold of his wrist, and the blade came no closer. Her other hand gripped around his throat, and she slammed him against the car as though he weighed nothing to her.

"Sam." Lucifer shook her head slowly. "It didn't have to end this way, you know."

Sam's eyes were fluttering closed, and he fought with everything he had to escape the hold around his neck, but it was no use. Dean lunged, and he made a move for the blade that his brother had dropped, but he didn't have the chance to get close. Lucifer threw him off somewhere in the distance, but Sam didn't see where. It was just the two of them now; brother and sister.

"Lucifer." he gasped, his nails scratched at her hand around his neck. "Please. Let me say yes. Let her go."

"It's too late for that, Sam." she told him, blunt. "This is the way it's going to be now. This is our apocalypse, and you and your brother have no part of it anymore."

The hand around his neck squeezed tighter, and his vision became blurred. All he saw was the faint outline of her dark hair against the pale skin of her face, and the dark eyes that glared at him. Every ounce of strength he had within him was nothing compared to what held him there, and he knew there was no chance of escape. This was it. This was the end. And the last thing he was ever going to see would be the cruel glare that belonged to his sister.

Tears built up in his eyes as he tried to hold on without any source of air to his lungs. "Haley." he choked. "Haley, I'm sorry." The hand that scratched at hers in attempt of beating her hold loosened, and he held onto it the best he could. "Sis—" The words wouldn't leave him, and he struggled to remain conscious. "It's gonna be okay." Her grip became harsher, tighter. " Haley—"

But nothing more came out. And, for Sam, things went dark.

Dean scrambled to his feet just in time to see his brother's body slump to the ground, and, right there, the world around him stopped turning. His eyes were wide, his breath was caught in his throat, and, in that moment, he felt a rush of anger like nothing he had ever experienced. He saw red. His blood boiled in his veins, and the murderous glare on his face was focused solely on the archangel that was slowly burning his sister away from the inside out.

The entire thing was over, and he knew that now. They were all destined to die in that graveyard, and Dean no longer had any intention of saving his own life. There was only one thing left that he could do for his family now; he could die alongside his sister, and he could prevent her from facing her horrible fate alone. After all, wasn't that why he had followed her there?

Dean stalked towards her, a new found sense of determination in his stride, because he no longer cared. The way he saw it, he had nothing left to lose. He no longer cared about what happened to him. He was past the point of being careful, and he was past the point of being cautious. He was prepared to meet his demise. But he was prepared to take the Devil with him.

Before Dean had the chance to process a clear thought in his head, he was shoved hard against the side of the Impala. Her fist crashed down against his face, again and again, over and over. Each blow seemed harder than the last. It didn't stop, it didn't slow, and it never ceased. The beating was relentless, a continuous barrage of abuse that was sure to end his life.

Somewhere, he wasn't sure how he did it, Dean found some source of strength within himself. A shaking hand reached out, and he gripped the sleeve of her jacket. It wasn't hard, but it was enough. His green eyes found hers, pleading. "Haley, it's okay." he murmured, but even speaking pained him beyond comprehension. "It's okay, I'm here." he assured. "I'm here, sis." Another punch crashed against his jaw, and his head slammed against the window behind. He was dazed, and everything around him was a blur. "I'm not gonna leave you, Hales." he promised. "I—" Another punch came. "I'm not gonna leave you. I promise. I'm here."

Lucifer drew back her fist for another punch, and Dean knew that this would be the one to end it all. There was only so much he could take. The look in her eyes, or, rather, the devil's eyes, was cold, calculating, and it promised nothing but evil. He closed his eyes, and he waited for the inevitable. But the punch didn't come. He took the chance, and he cracked open his eyes to face her. Something had changed. There was a deep frown at her brow, and she stared off at something behind him, lost.

The sunlight had broken through the thick grey clouds above, and it reflected from the roof of the Impala. It blinded her for a short moment, and all she saw was a bright white light. Somewhere, Haley found the strength that she had been holding onto since she had made that fateful decision to say yes. No longer was she trapped inside her own mind, kicking and screaming and fighting with everything she had to take back the ropes. No longer did she feel the impact of her fist against her brother's flesh. Everything stopped. Everything came to a halt. No longer could she hear the sound of her blood rushing through her veins like a river, or the thumping of her own heart like a drum against her skull.

Suddenly, the world seemed so much calmer.

Everything flashed before her eyes at once, and it was only then that she truly saw what was happening around her. She was beating her brother to death with her bare hands, she had murdered Sam, she had killed Bobby, and she had ended Castiel. It had to stop, she had to take back control of him, before anything else happened. She had to finish what she had started. And she knew how.

Haley fought. She fought with every ounce of strength that she had. She strained to hold onto some sense of feeling. And she could feel something happening, something changing. She wasn't sure what it was, but she didn't back down. She didn't stop. She didn't quit. And, suddenly, like a punch to the face, she was slammed back into her own reality. The darkness that weighed down on her chest was lifted, and the force that had taken over her existence was gone.

Her shaking fist lowered, and, in that moment, she knew that she had been the one to lower it.

Everything in the world was going to hell. And, Haley realized, there were still people willing to stand by her side without flinching. They had risked everything, and they had given more, to stand by her until the end. They were her family. Her gaze shifted from the bloody stain on the grass where Castiel had been standing to the still form of Bobby where he lay. She looked to her younger brother, lying faced down on the grass, all movements ceased. And she glanced to Dean, beaten half to death and struggling to stand on his own two feet.

Through everything, he was still there, promising that he would never leave her.

Her brother. Her family. Never afraid to walk the darkest and deadliest shadows with her.

The harsh grip that she held on his jacket dramatically loosened, and, right there, her entire face changed. Her features softened, and she almost looked afraid. Immediately, Dean knew that he was no longer looking up at Lucifer. He was staring into the green eyes of his little sister.

"Dean." she whispered, and her voice cracked. Her tone was soft, pained, sorrowful. "It's okay, Dean. It's gonna be okay. I've got him."

Dean shook his head at her, because Lucifer was no longer what he cared about. Killing the devil wasn't worth the lives of his family, and it had taken him until that day to truly realize it. Haley had been right all along about the plan to say yes to him. What was it worth defeating the devil if they were going to lose their family as a result? How could that ever be considered a win?

"Haley." His hands gripped a firm hold of her arms, and he refused to let go. "You've gotta push him out, kid. Right now. Please."

Her brow furrowed, confused. This was all they had wanted for so long, to stop the devil. "I can't, Dean." she stated, apologetic. "I need to do this. You know I do."

Dean looked on at her, and he felt his throat grow tighter. "I can't believe you said yes to him." he murmured, and the emotion was thick in his words. "I can't believe you did this. What the hell were you thinking, Hales? Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you come to me?"

Haley huffed a dry laugh, as though the idea amused her. "Now, Dean? You're gonna lecture me now?"

Dean gave a sigh, and his entire stance softened. "I'm not gonna lecture you." He looked up at her once again, and his eyes pleaded with her for some kind of reassurance, for her to tell him that they were going to be okay, that she was okay. But, deep down, he knew that she couldn't offer him that. "Why, Hales? Why would you do this?"

"I had to, Dean. He's my kid brother, I had to." she whispered, and the tears glistened in her eyes. "Please, don't hate me for this. I didn't have a choice."

Dean's face fell at those words. It was a plea, and he knew that she truly believed that he could hate her for the choice she had made.

There they stood, her hands gripped to the front of his jacket, and his gripping the tops of her arms, gaze locked together. Her eyes were nothing but apology, remorse, sadness, while his promised her nothing but forgiveness, understanding, love. They promised her family, no matter what, to the bitter end.

Finally, he understood it all. Haley was taking a bullet for Sam. He could see it in her face, she was doing it for their brother so that he wouldn't have to. She had told him, even before she had known that she was going to do it, probably before the idea of saying yes to Lucifer had even entered her head, she had told him that she was going to do it. She had looked him dead in the eye and warned him that, had he gone ahead and allowed their brother to say yes, she would do something about it. She wouldn't let it happen. She had told him straight, he wouldn't like what she would do to stop him, but she would do it all the same. And she had done.

Why hadn't he taken her threats more seriously? He had to wonder, had he pushed her to do it? Maybe his trying to convince her that letting Sam take on the devil was a good idea had spurred her to take the situation into her own hands. That hurt. And the guilt knotted in his stomach. Suddenly, it all seemed as though it could have been avoided. How had he allowed things to go so far?

"I'm so sorry, Haley." he told her, sincere. "For all of this. I'm so sorry."

Haley shook her head at him, and she reached out slightly. Her fingertips traced the edge of his jaw, gentle. The damage inflicted upon him was more than she had ever seen before, in anyone, and she knew that the blood staining her knuckles had been the cause. She felt sick.

"The state of you." she muttered, horrified. "You shouldn't have come here, Dean. What the hell were you thinking?" Fresh tears brimmed in her eyes. "I killed Sam."

"No." he told her, blunt. "No, Haley. That evil bastard locked in your head killed Sam. You need to push him out, now. Please."

Haley gave a slow shake of her head, apologetic. "I can't." she whispered. "I need to end this. We need to stop him."

At those words, Dean looked ready to cry. He gave a bitter laugh, and the tears brimmed in his own eyes. All she cared about now was finishing what they had started. The only thing in the world she could see now was her opportunity to stop Lucifer. Why couldn't she see what he did; it wasn't worth the end of their family. It wasn't worth her life. It wasn't worth her spending an eternity in hell.

"You have too much heart in you sometimes, Haley Grace, you know that?" He shook his head at her. "I didn't wanna watch you die again this soon, you know?" He tried to laugh at his own comment, but it came out as more of a sob. He knew that she wasn't going to be able to hold onto him for much longer. "I'm begging you, kid, please, we'll find another way. Push him out."

"I need to do this, Dean." Slowly, she pulled herself free of his hold, and she moved back from him. "You need to let me do this."

But Dean kept a firm hold of her wrist, because he just wasn't ready to let go of her. He couldn't. Not again. Not when he had a choice.

"I can't, Haley." he admitted, despondent. "Please, sis, please, I can't do this without you, alright?"

There was a frown on her face that indicated her pain, and her fists were clenched at her sides. She was struggling.

"Haley?" he pressed, desperate. "You need to push him out, before it's too late. There's always another way."

Haley smiled at him. "Wasn't this the whole point?" she pressed. "There was no other way. We all said it. That's why we ended up here."

"Yeah, well, we were wrong." he countered, firm. "I was wrong. You don't have to do this."

Haley reached into the pocket of her jacket, and she pulled out the four rings. She took another short step back from him, and she tossed them to the ground before her. "Bvtmon tabges babalon."

The ground caved in around the rings, and all the air seemed to be sucked down into the pit below them. The wind was strong, and it ripped at her hair, as though drawing her towards it. She took a short breath, and she took a step towards it. She had to jump. Before the time came that she couldn't.

"Haley!" Adam's voice rang out over the harsh breeze. He was back. "It's not gonna end this way! Step back!"

Haley looked over to him, and, in that moment, she looked stronger than she ever had done before. "You're gonna have to make me!"

"I have to fight my brother, Haley!" he yelled, desperate. "Here and now! It's my destiny!"

Haley glanced between him and Dean, and her eyes found his for a brief moment. Something about it all was so similar to that night. She was about to die, and the only thing she saw were the two green eyes staring back at her, filled with tears and pleading for her to change it. It hurt, it really did, but she knew what she had to do. A soft smile graced her face, but there was a glistening in her eyes that just couldn't be hidden.

"I'm sorry, Dean." she stated, sincere. "I—" The breath caught in her throat, and she held her hands to her head in pain. A harsh groan escaped her, and she knew she had to move. "I need to do this. I'm sorry."

Her attention turned towards Michael, and she held out her arms as though to challenge him. He ran at her, prepared for a fight, and, as he came into contact, she turned. The move was unexpected. Her hands gripped to the sleeves of his jacket and, with every ounce of strength left in her, she pushed.

Together, they fell.

Dean's eyes were wide, and he knew then that he wasn't prepared to lose his only sister for another lifetime. Instinctively, he lunged.

This was it, the doorway to an eternity in hell, and, honestly, Haley no longer felt the fear that had once consumed her at the thought. She could feel herself falling, and she waited for the inevitable crash. But it didn't come. Something stopped her, and she felt herself dangling, free to fall. She looked up, perplexed, and she saw her brother. He had a firm hold of her wrist, unwilling to let go.

Her face changed, and she fought the urge to reach up with her free hand and return his hold. But she didn't. "Let me go!" she yelled up at him. "Dean, we have to stop him!"

"No." he snapped. "This is not worth your life, okay? None of it is."

"Dean," she pleased. "Please—"

"No." he warned. "You are not dying over this, Haley. I promised you that much!"

The wind ripped around him, and he knew that he couldn't hold onto her forever. Eventually, they would both fall, unless he did something about it. She didn't make it any easier on him, but, with any morsel of strength left in his beaten body, he dragged her back up with him. They landed together on the grass, and her hands gripped to the soil at her fingertips. Her knuckles turned white and she yelled out in pain. There was no way that she was going to be able to hold onto him for much longer, he was stronger, he was smarter, and he was pushing against her force with everything he had. It burned, and she could feel the force pounding against her skull, willing her to give into the tranquility of darkness. Lucifer was coming back.

"There's got to be another way." Dean mumbled, more to himself than to her, desperate. He searched and he searched, and then he knew. "Hales." His attention turned to the angel blade that had been dropped by their brother, and he reached for it.

Haley stumbled to her feet, her movements unsure, and she frowned at him as he approached.

"I'm so sorry, Haley." The blade was gripped in his hand. "I need you to hold on for me, okay? Don't give up on me now, not after everything."

Her eyes were wide, fearful, in a way that he never thought she could look at him.

"I need you to trust me, sis." he urged. "It's gonna be okay. I promise. It's all gonna be okay."

Haley gave a slow nod, unsure, and she forced herself to stand straight again.

With a short breath, Dean squeezed the blade, hard. His eyes closed, and his free hand gripped her shoulder. The blade lunged forwards, and he felt it piece the flesh of her stomach.

The familiar blinding white light shone from her as she screamed, and Dean pulled back the bloody blade. He dropped it to the ground beside him, instantly forgotten about, and he looked nothing but horrified with what he had done. He looked as though he wanted to be sick, but, so did Haley. She stumbled back slightly as the light faded away, hands pressed to her stomach in fear, and she blinked, hard.

Dean moved towards her on instinct, and he grabbed her before she could collapse to the ground. He lowered her gently to lie on the grass, and his eyes searched hers for some kind of humanity. Was it still her? Was he gone? Was it over?

"Haley?" he pressed. He smoothed the brown hair from her face. "Haley? You need to hold on for me, alright?" He spoke quickly, desperate to get through to her. "Come on, Hales. Focus." His palm held her cheek, and he forced her to face him. "It's gonna be alright. You're gonna be fine."

Haley's eyes opened, and she looked up to him. "Not this time, Dean." she murmured. She knew it, they both did, this was it. A smile tugged at her lips. "Kudos. You killed Satan. Always something to brag about, right?"

Dean tried to laugh, but he just couldn't. He pressed a hand over hers, holding it firmer to the bleeding wound at her stomach. Instantly, he felt the blood seep through her closed fingers to his, and he knew how bad it was. "Haley." he urged. "Look at me." It was clear that it was becoming harder and harder for her to keep her eyes focused on anything. "You can't talk like that, okay? You're gonna be fine. You're alright."

"Well, you know it's not like me to agree with you, right?" She gave a weak laugh, but no humor came through in it. A cough escaped her, and, as it did, crimson blood splattered from between her lips. "It's over, Dean. You know it."

"No, it's not." he stated, blunt. He wouldn't accept that. "Come on, we'll get you to a hospital."

Haley looked torn, but she allowed him to attempt to sit her up. The moment he did, she all but screamed out in agony. There was no moving her.

"What do I—I mean—what—I—I don't know what to do, Haley, please, tell me what I'm supposed to do here." he pleaded, and the tears that he had been clinging to finally escaped his eyes. "Help me."

"Dean," Her voice wavered slightly. She looked up at him, tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry. For everything. I'm sorry."

"You're okay." he whispered, and she was sure he was talking more to himself than he was to her. From the hand that was pressed to her stomach, he felt the amount of blood that soaked through her shirt to his palm. "Shh, it's okay." She was done, and they both knew it. "You're gonna be fine, Hales. You're gonna be just fine."

"Dean," she tried, but she couldn't seem to get anything more out.

"No, you listen to me, you can't give up, please, Hales. I promised I'd keep you safe, remember?" Tears rolled down his cheeks, and he made no effort to hide them, he didn't even notice. "I need you, Haley, alright? I need you. Please. I can't—I can't do this without you again." She closed her eyes, a frown on her face that indicated her pain. His stomach sank. "Haley?"

"We did it, Dean. We beat the devil." A short breath left her, with which she managed to open her eyes. She was hanging on for him. "I meant what I said." she murmured, and it took all of her energy to get the words out clearly. "I couldn't have asked for a better big brother than what I got with you. I love you. And, when you get Sam back, tell him the same."

The grip she held on his hand beneath hers gradually became looser, she was slipping away and he knew it. There was no stopping it this time. He was watching his sister die all over again, and he could do nothing to change it. He couldn't help her. He couldn't save her.

"I'm sorry." he murmured. "Hales—" He choked on his own words.

"It's okay, Dean." she whispered, barely loud enough for him to hear. "It's all okay now."

Dean shook his head at her. "Haley?"

But, this time, she couldn't answer him. Her eyes fluttered closed, and she went still.

"Hales?" He shook her, but there was no response. "Haley?"

Tears built up in his eyes as he held onto her, like he could somehow will her to wake up again, just so that he wouldn't have to deal with it all on his own, but he couldn't. His shaking hand left her stomach, and he reached out gently to wipe away the couple of tears that had escaped her.

"I love you, too, baby sister." he murmured, but he knew now that she wouldn't hear him.

His gaze shifted towards where Sam was lying on the ground, still, and the sight only had him feeling sicker than ever.

How had it come to this? How had it gotten to a point that he was looking at his brother and sister lying dead on the ground before him? How had he allowed that to happen to them? His entire life he had promised them one thing; that he would keep them safe, and a part of him had always held onto the hope that he could. Somewhere, he had always believed that, as long as he was around, no harm could come to them, but he had been wrong. He had let them both down. And now he was alone.

It was over.

His mind wandered back to a time when they had been happy, when she and Sam had been younger.

Haley had been his best friend from the moment his parents had walked through the door with that bundle of pink blankets. For those two years, when it had been just the two of them, Dean's life had revolved around his little sister. Even as a baby, he had always had some sense of wanting to keep her safe. When she would cry, he would want to comfort her. When their mother went to wake her for a nap, he would be there with her. When she cried early in the morning, Dean would be out of bed and there before their parents. Sometimes, in the middle of the night when he could hear her crying, he would pick up his blanket and wander into her room, and he would sit there with their mother and listen as she sang her back into her slumber.

For a long, long time, it had been like that. And, in those moments, he had thought it always would be.

But, not too long after, everything had changed. Sam had arrived. And, suddenly, there wasn't just one kid in the house with him, there had been two. He remembered, Haley had been fascinated, awe struck, because that was the age when dolls had been her babies and, right there, she had her very own real life one. As for Dean, he finally had a little brother. He had someone who would be able to kick around a football with him, the same as his friends at school did.

There came a point that Dean realized, at just four years old, he had everything he could ever want. And he thought that nothing would ever change that.

But, of course, that night came when the demon showed up, and they lost their mother. From then on, nothing was ever the same. After that night, everything in the world was darker. They no longer had a home, because all they had was motel room after motel room. No longer did they have two parents to tuck them in at night, because all they had was a photograph of their mother and an absent father. Their friends from school were never mentioned again, and anything that had resembled their home life became nothing but a distant memory. At least, to him. He doubted his siblings even had that.

And then came the monsters. Dean could still hear that speech, word for word, when his father had told him the truth about the world. It still haunted him, no matter how much he wanted to pretend that it didn't. He had been too young to understand, too small to comprehend it all. From that speech, there had been one simple rule; take care of your brother and sister. Yet, he had been too young to understand what he was supposed to be protecting them from.

From such a young age, that message had been ingrained into his brain, and it had become a part of him.

Suddenly, Sam and Haley no longer turned to their father for strength, for guidance, they turned to him, as though they assumed he had all the answers to the universe. He had been left in a motel room with two young children and a warped idea of the world outside of it. What good could possibly have come from that?

Sam and Haley had gotten older, and that had changed. Haley seemed to realize quite fast that their world wasn't the way it was supposed to be. And that was the night she had been given the same speech as her brother. Suddenly, he was no longer alone in the darkness of the monsters that lurked in the old brown book their father carried anywhere, and he still believed that had been the day they had learned to depend upon each other with everything they had.

Haley had been no older than six that night. She had still been the bright eyed little girl with blonde pigtails in her hair who had never been ashamed to hold his hand as they crossed the street. It hadn't been fair. And a part of him still resented his father for what he had told her that night. Yet, through everything, she had never let what she knew change her. And that was something he had never been able to understand, no matter how hard he had tried.

Back then, Sam had still been short and skinny, and Dean was sure that was the last time he had been shorter than him. His world had been wrapped up in his school work, and Dean had always wondered if it truly had been an early desire to get away from hunting, or whether it had been an escape from the world and countless motels around him.

But, despite their lives, and despite how different it was, he still held on to the belief that they had been happy in those days.

Haley had become the energetic, rebellious, crazy kid that had never failed to make him laugh. He thought back to when she had made him hold her hair in different sections as she touched up the pink and blue streaks that ran through it. He remembered the times that they had ditched school together and spent the day doing anything and everything they could to entertain themselves. He remembered the times they had sat together and talked late into the night, because the only people in their lives that they had been able to talk to, about anything, had been each other.

Sam had grown taller, and he remembered the day like it was yesterday. It had happened one morning, Dean had been making coffee, and Sam had been fighting him for the milk. Calm as ever, Haley had looked up from her cereal, and she had pointed out that the younger sibling had gotten a height advantage on his brother. After that, he had appeared to grow taller and taller by the day, and he had never let Dean forget it. But as his height had grown, so had his knowledge. He only seemed to grow smarter by the day, and he had never been able to keep up with him, no matter how he tried.

They had laughed so much in those days. They had been happy in their own little world. And maybe he had been naive in thinking that things could always be so simple between them all.

Maybe it could have been. If not for that night.

Dean wouldn't deny it, that cold, stormy night in January of 1997 was the single moment that had destroyed their family. Because it had never been the same again, not without their sister.

Life had become darker. Sam had grown to loathe hunting with every bone in his body. And their father had become more distant than ever before. Their small family had crumbled right before their eyes, and none of them had been able to stop it. It had happened too fast for any of them to control. And, once it had shattered, there had been no fixing it.

That had been just another time he hadn't managed to save one of his siblings. He looked between them once again, and he shook his head, remorseful. He had let them go, again.

In that moment, his sister felt so small in his arms. Her face was calm, innocent, and she looked so much younger than what he knew her to be. Maybe they had both found their peace. Maybe they were somewhere safe. Maybe they were happy.

One of his hands gripped a hold of hers tightly, and, subconsciously, he gave it a soft squeeze.

"I'm sorry, Haley." he whispered, sincere. "For all of it. I'm so sorry."

His entire world had crashed down around him.

Haley was dead. Sam was dead. And, inside, so was Dean.


FOR THE LOVE OF CHUCK, PLEASE DO NOT HATE ME! I KNOW I SAID I'D KILL SOMEONE IN THIS CHAPTER BUT IT ALL JUST SPIRALED OUT OF CONTROL AND I ENDED UP KILLING EVERYONE. I'M SORRY.

Well, actually, Dean's still alive... Although, after this chapter, he probably feels dead on the inside... Oops.

I wanted to make this chapter a little different from the show, and I always had this idea that Dean would jump into the cage with his sister if he had the choice, but I didn't have the heart to do that to them... so I did the next best thing I could... Who doesn't love big brother Dean risking an eternity in the cage to pull his sister back from the pit?;-))

Of course, not everyone is going to stay dead, this is Supernatural;-)) So, question is, who's coming back to life next chapter, and who's drawing the short straw?! If you want to hate me after the next chapter, I completely understand, because I'm not my own best friend at the moment, either;-)

Lots and lots and lots of feelings coming next chapter, without giving too much away, and here comes the end of the apocalypse.

As always, you're more than welcome to leave me a review, as long as you're not going to bash me for murdering everyone you've ever loved! Or, send me a PM, they're always appreciated!

Thank you so much for reading, I love you all, even if you don't love me;-)))))